Installing Updates on Fresh Windows 7 SP1 Installation (Stuck on Checking for Updates)

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LordLuciendar

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I regularly reformat systems for clients, right now I am upgrading a QX6700/D975XBX2 system for a client to Windows 7 (from Windows XP). I've clean installed Windows 7 on the new SSD (She's getting a Samsung 850 EVO and an upgrade to 8GB of RAM at the same time), and yet I cannot for the life of me get Windows Updates to finish "Checking for Updates" and begin the process of updating. I had an i7-2600/P8P67 PRO/16GB/Corsair Force GS system I was refreshing a few weeks back that had the same issue.

So the question is, what do I need to do after fresh installing Windows 7 SP1 to get updates to install without extensive periods of waiting "Checking for Updates"?

Some background:

  • ■ I've tried starting with the .NET 4.6.1 and Internet Explorer 11 standalone installers, this did not seem to help.
    ■ I've tried installing KB3020369, KB3161664, and KB3172605 manually, which did not seem to resolve the issue.
    ■ I've tried installing the latest Windows Update agent, this did not resolve the issue.
 
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LordLuciendar

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Right now I'm stuck on "Searching for updates on this computer" trying to install KB3020369 after having wiped and fresh installed again. KB3020369 being a prerequisite for KB3125574. With that said, I've been stuck on "Searching for updates on this computer" for 20 minutes, which appears to be symptomatic of the same underlying issue.

Should I be doing these updates offline (disconnected from the internet)?
 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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Sometimes it does take quite a long time.

Look into that convienience rollup I posted above.
 
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LordLuciendar

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KB3125574 is the convenience rollup you posted above, but it cannot be installed directly on a clean installation of Windows 7 SP1. You first have to install the prerequisite KB3020369.

To answer my own question, I disconnected from the network, rebooted, and KB3020369 installed immediately. "Searching for updates on this computer" took only a few seconds. I am now installing the convenience rollup KB3125574, hopefully this will resolve my issue.
 
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LordLuciendar

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Following KB3125574 and initiating another check for updates, the system spent approximately 5 minutes running TrustedInstaller and SvcHost at 25% CPU usage each, with SvcHost also using disk and network resources. Then MSCorSVW jumped in with another 25% usage (on a quad core processor) and did .NET optimization for about 10 minutes. Now the system has simmered back down to very little CPU usage (0-1%) and disk usage (32k read on Windows Defender Definitions) and "Checking for updates" is still churning away. SearchIndexer blipped up (which should only happen during downtime) and did some disk analysis of a number of files... and yet I'm still waiting for "Checking for updates" to complete.
 
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LordLuciendar

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After about 20-25 minutes, TrustedInstaller and WMI just popped up with some disk and CPU usage, then died off again. As of now, disk usage literally drops off to nothing (even background tasks disappear from time to time, before they pop back up with event log recording and mft cleanup etc.). Netsvcs holds a steady 25% CPU usage (assumably one core at full usage), doing what, idk?

I doubt these pieces of information will help narrow down the problem but they do illustrate that Windows Update is definitely not checking for updates during this time.
 
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LordLuciendar

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Just to keep a log of this, I've tried installing KB3161664 Kernel Mode Drivers which were reported to work for some users. Restarted, reconnected network, and then ran Windows Update "Check for updates". TrustedInstaller bumps up to 25% (one core utilization) and stays there while disk read shows reads in the SoftwareDistribution folder (as you would expect), Windows Defender Definitions, and .NET, but then dies off to 0% CPU usage and no disk usage, then after a while SvcHost (NetSvcs) pops up with 25% (1 core) CPU usage and stays there (I suspect this is effectively Idle and there is some background task running here).
 
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LordLuciendar

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Killed the SoftwareDistribution and CatRoot2 folders and rebuilding Windows Update components now, doubt it'll help (since they were essentially a blank slate to begin with), but giving it a shot.

At least for the first time there are bits flowing over the network, even if it's just to rebuild stuff I removed.
 
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LordLuciendar

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The only way I was able to successfully get the system to update was to use WSUS Offline Update. Even WSUS Offline Update had several hiccups in the beginning where it would just stall out after installing only a single update or a handful of updates, it was only after several attempts at restarting after the process stalled out that I was finally able to get updates from the Windows Update tool.
 
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